Cranberry separator



Mar. 13,1923.

H, R. BAILEY GRANBERRY SEPARATOR Filed Aug. 8, 1922 2 .sheet-sheet 2 l l im fio Patented Mar. 13, 1.933.

Ubilfl@ STATES HUGH R. BAILEY, OF CARVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CRANBERRY SEPARATOR.

Application filed August 8, 1922.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HUGH F.. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States. residing at Carver, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachuetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cranberry Separators, of which the following is a specification.

The chief object of this invention is to provide an improved machine for separating cranberries into firsts and seconds, and separately deliveringthese grades. i

Another object is to separate from the firsts the smaller berries, known as pie berries, and to deliver these separately.

The invention is embodied in the improvements hereinafter described and claimed. i

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a separating machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation, looking from the opposite side.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, showing the upper portion of the machine.

Figure 4 is a side view, showing one of the wipers hereinafter described, and the mechanism for adjusting the same.

Figure 5 is an enlargement of a portion. of Figure 3.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The machine includes a vertically elongated frame, including u prights 12, and cross-bars 13.. Fixed to the frame is a vertically elongated casing, including spaced apart upright side portions 14, between which the separator units hereinafter described, are located. The rear side of the casing, at which the bounding boards hereinafter described, are located, may be open7 to permit inspection ofthe interior. Above the casing is a hopper, which includes oppositely inclined members 15 and 16, the lower ends of which are spaced apart to form a contracted outlet 17, extending across the hopper. The delivery of cranberries through the outlet is controlled by a horizontal uted feed roll 18, obstructing a part of the outlet, and in close proximity to the lower end of the member 15, and spaced from the lower end of the member 16. A yielding inclined wiper is tangen- Seral No. 580,399.

` at different adjustments, said mechanism including levers 23, pivoted at 24 to the hopper, and at 25 to ears on the slide, and a hand lever 26, connected by a link 27 with the outer end of one of the levers 23, and

by links 28, with the inner ends of the levers, the arrangement being such that when the lever 26 is moved by the operator in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4, or in the opposite direction, a corresponding movement is imparted to the slide 22, so that the wiper is moved edgewise toward or from the perimeter of the roll 1S, and is frietionally retained at any position in which it is left, the edge of the wiper being maintained parallel with the aXis of the roll.

Cranberries contained in the hopper enter the throat 17, and'bear on the roll 18, and

on the wiper. The roll is rotated in the direction of the, arrowmarked thereon, and cooperates with the wiper in feeding the berries, so that they drop separately.

The machine is provided, as usual, with a vertical series of bounding-boards 30, on to which the berries fall, and with means cooperating with these boards for guiding the berries, which rebound from the boards to an outlet where they are collected, the berrcs being automatically assorted or graded by the height to which they rebound. The berries rebound from each board suiciently to pass 'over a bafHe-board 31, associated with a deiiector 36. thebaffle-board and deflector beingv separated from the lower edge of the bounding-board by a throat 32. The berries crossing the baiiie-board 31 are guided by a series of inclines 34, and a stepped conduit, composed of sectionsl 33, to a suitable point of delivery, as usual. Guiding means including the inclines and conduits being well known in this art, the same need not be particularly described'. The conduit sections 33 form the front side of the casing, and the'berries delivered by the lower conduit section pass to an outlet at 35' (Figure 1), these including the firsts or larger berries.

Vertical guiding slots 39, are provided in the sides 14 of the casing, and the ends of the baffle-boards 31 are extended through the slots, the length of the slots being such that the baffle-'boards may be `adjusted thereinto ya considerable extent, so that the upper edges .of the baille-boards may be either flush with thelupper edges of the defiectors 36, as shown by Figure 3, or raised more or less abovethe deflectors. 1With the ends of the baiiieeboards are rigidly connected vertical Arebound overthe baffle-board of any unit,

have dropped loosely through'thethroat 32, and `may orinay not fall properly on the bounding-board of the next lower unit.

I have added to `each unit means for controlling thedelivery of berries from A.unit

vto unit, said meanspreferably including a 'luted horizontalefeed roll 44, similarto the fio roll '18, andlocated at the lower edge of the deflector 36, and a longitudinally `arranged y1elding wiper, cooperating with the roll 44. I prefer to make the wiper in the form of abrush, composed of a head t and bristles .47 (Figure to thev sides of the casing below the bounding-board, `and the wiper is pressed yieldingly against the roll 44 by a spring 49.

.The `berries that roll from the boundingboard without passing over the baille-board,

.,andvthose which roll down the deflector 36,

are caused by the cooperation of the roll 44 andy its wiper to drop vertically on to the bounding-board of the next lower unit, the

wiper brush 4yielding to permit a regulated delivery of the berries.

1 It will be seen that the Wiper accompany- .ingthe hopper feed roll 18 has to support vapart of the weight of the mass of berries .inthe hopper.

of' the reinforced construction shown and described, the portionof the wiper contactd ving'with the berries being the free edge ofV For this reason the wiper is the rubber strip 21. This strip is reinforced and backed. by the slotted resilient metal strip 1`9,`whtch is sufliciently stiff to support ,the pressure offtheimass of berries; The

wiper accompanying the roll 44 of a sepa- The head pivote-d at 46.

rator unit is not required to support a mass of berries, so that its pressure is relatively light.

The several feed rolls, including the roll 18, are rotated in unison. The shaft 18a of the upper feed roll 18 has a pulley 50 (Figure 2), driven by a belt 51, from a pulley 52, on adriven shaft 53. The shaft of each feed roll has a sprocket wheel 54, engaged by an elongated sprocket chan o5, driven by the shaft 18a of the upper feed roll. @ne of the stretches of the chain is pressed inward by rolls 56, on the free ends of spring-pressed swinging yarms 57, tol keep the chain suitably engaged with the sprocket wheels.

The machine may include any desired number of separator units,l five beingshown.

by Figure 1. The three units'at the `upper end of the series, and the conduit composed of the stepped sections 33, care .for the firsts, which are delivered by the lowest conduit section, and pass across an inclined screen 58, on their way to the outlet 35. Said screen, which is preferably composed of parallel wires, is formed to permit smaller or pie berries mingled with the rstsfto pass through it, and drop through an outlet 59, under the screen. Berries fall from the lowest conduit section 33 upon an inclined guide 60, extending from 4under said section to the higher edge of Vthe screen 58, andpreferably composed of enameled cotton cloth, the berries rolling down said guide onto the screen, and rolling from thence overa similar inclined guide 61 to the outlet 35.

To prevent the pie berries from sticking in the openings of thescreen, I provide a rotary brush, composed of bars 62, fixed to arms 63, radiating from a shaft.`64, and

bristles 65, fixed to said bars, and adapted to sweep across the screen. I prefer yto press the screen yieldingly upward to a limited extent, to enablel the bristles 65 Ato more effectively dislodge pie berries stir-.king in the screen. To this end, the screen is attached to the free end portions of arms` 66, which are pivoted at 67` to fixed supports in the casing,and are'pressed upward by springs k68 against a fixed stop 69. The arms 66 have curvedportionsO, bridging the under side of the screen, and spaced therefrom.

The two separator units at the-lower end of the series care for the seconds,` andthe smallest or refuse berries. Nearly allof the seconds rebound fromthe bounding-board of the next to the lowest unit onto an incline 71, and pass from thence through a conduit 72, tothe seconds outlet 59a.' The -lowggrade berries, including decayed berries which. do not rebound, passing from the .lastfmentioned unit, and any seconds whichl have not been previously collected, are disposedy of by the lowest unit, thesefconds rebounding'fro'm the bounding-board of this unit, and falling Cil on to an inclined guide 73, whereby they are conducted to the seconds outlet 59a. The lowest unit does not include the feed roll and the wiper elements of the other units, and the berries falling from the bounding board of this unit. drop on to an inclined guide 74, and are conducted thereby to an outlet at 75. The bafiie-boards of the lowest units may be independently adjusted by means including slides 40a, and connections between said slides and the casing, said slides and connections being similar to the slides 40. and the connections between the latter and the casing.

l find it desirable to provide means for varying the inclination of the boundingboards 30, excepting the upper board. some lots of berries requiring a greater inclination of the bounding-boards than other lots. I provide for this variation by pivoting the bounding-boards at 30at to the casing, and at 30b to vertical connecting bars 76, which are vertically movable 'on the casing, and are provided with hooks 77, adapted to engage studs 78, such as ordinary wood screws or nails inserted in the sides of the casing, said studs being inserted after the proper inclination of the bounding-boards has been ascertained.

As heretofore, a fan blower is provided to force air through the berries between the hopper feed roll 18, and the bounding-board of the highest unit, to expel leaves, etc., from.

the falling berries, the blower including a rotor 79, on a shaft 80, and a casing 8l, having an outlet 82.

The main shaft 83 of the machine is driven by a belt 84, and drives the shaft 53, through a belt 85, and suitable pulleys. The shaft 58 is provided with a pulley 86, connected by a belt 87 with a pulley on the fan shaftv 80, and with a pulley'88, connected by a belt 89 with a pulley ou the brush shaft 611-.

l regard as of the essence of the invention the provision of means for causing berries falling from each separator unit to drop at a predetermined point on the bounding-board of the next lower unit, so that the berries rebound. accurately in a predetermined path. This is insured by the fluted feed rolls and the yielding wipers, constituting elements of the separator units. These fluted feed rolls and wipers are adapted to position elongated or elliptical berries, and cause them to fall sidewise instead of endwise. Sidewise falling is very desirable, because an elliptical cranberry striking a bounding-board on end, will not rebound as far as when it strikes the bounding-board sidewise.

I do not limit myself to a feed roll which is iiuted. The yielding wiper may cooperate with a feed roll which is not fluted, although not so effectively. Any equivalent controlling means causing a similar regulated or controlled delivery of the berries from each unit, so that they will drop on the boundingboard of the next lower unit, at a predetermined point, may be employed.

It will be seen that the feed roll 44 and the yielding wiper constitute an embodiment of a controlling means located below the throat 32, and adapted to first arrest the berries falling through the throat, then move the berries laterally to a point vertically above the bounding board 30 of the next lower unit, and then release the berries and allow them to drop vertically upon the said lower board. I therefore provide for the uniform impingement of the dropped berries on each of the bounding boards of the series, and for a uniform distribution ofsaid berries, so that they drop independently without interference with each other.

lt will also be seen that the said controlling means is adapted to deprive the falling berries of momentum and then allow the berries to drop vertically, without previously acquired momentum, upon the boundingboard of the next lower unit, so that falling berries, havingan appreciable degree' of resilience, are caused to rebound accurately from a bounding-board upon which they drop vertically from the controllingmeans of the next higher unit.

I claim:

l. A cranberry separator including a Vertical series of separator units, each unit comprising, in combination, an inclined bounding board, a deflector'spaced from the lower edge of the bounding board by a throat through which fall the berries dropping directly from the bounding board, and those deflected by the deflector. and controlling means below the throat, adapted to first arrest the falling berries, thenimove the berries laterally to a point vertically above the bounding board of the next lower unit, and then release the berries and allow them to drop vertically upon said lower bounding board, the boards of the several units being arranged with their lower edges in a common vertical plane. y

2. A cranberry separator including a vertical series of separator units, each unit comprising, in combination, an inclined bounding board, a deflector spaced from the lower edge of the bounding board by a throat through which fall the berries dropping directly from the bounding board, and those deflected by the deflec-tor, a driven feed roll below and obstructing the throat, and adapted to arrest the falling berries and laterally move the same to a point vertically above the bounding` board of the next lower unit, and

a yielding wiper bearing` on one side of the roll, and co-operating with the latter to release the berries after their lateral movement, and allow' them to drop vertically upon said lower bounding board, the boards of the several units being arranged with ytheir ylower edges in `a common vertical plane.

SQA cranberry separator .including a ver- ,tical series ofseparator units, each unit comprising, yin combination, an inclined bounding board, `a deiiector spaced "from the lower edge of `the bounding board by ya throat through which fall the .berries dropping ybelow and obstructing the throat, and adaptedito arrest the falling berries and Ilaterally .move the same to a point vertically above the bounding board ofthe next lower unit, and a yielding wiper bearing on one side of the roll, and cooperating with the latter to releaseethe yberries 4afterytheir lateral movement, and allow vthem A to drop vertically upon .said lower boundingboard, the boards of ythe several units being arranged with their :lower edges in a common vertical plane, and means for simultaneously rotatin the rolls of the several units.

4L. A cranberry separator including a casing, ra vertical series of separator units, each unit comprising, in combination, an inclined bounding board, a deflector spaced from the lower edge of the bounding board by a throat through which `i'all the berries droppingdirectly from the bounding board, and those deflected by the delector, controlling emeans below the throat, adapted to 'irst arrest the falling berries, Athen move theber-- ries laterally to a point vertically above the ,bounding board of the next lower unit, and then release the berries and allow them to dropvertically upon said lower bounding board, the boards of the several .units being arranged with their lower edges ina common vertical plane, and means on the casing yfor conducting berries rebounding from said boards, and deliveringthe same at one side of cthe series of units.

A cranberry separator, including a casing, a `series of separator units arranged to permit berries to fall from unit Ato unit throughout the series, each unit comprising, in combination, .an inclined bounding-board `from which some ot the berries rebound, so that they pass away from the unit, a deflector spacedrom the lower edge of ythe bounding-board by a throat .through which the re- .maining berries fall, and controllinglmeans atthe llower portion of each unit, adapted to arrest the falling berries, thereby depriving the same of momentum, and then allow vthe berries -to drop vertically,l without :previously acquired momentum, uponthe bounding-board of the `next lower unit.

\ 6. A cranberry separator, includinga casi-ng, a series .of .separator units arranged to permit berries to fall from unit yto unit throughout the series, each yunit comprising, in combination, an inclined boundingboard from which some of the berries rebound, so

that they pass away from the unit, a deflector spaced from the lower edge ofthe bounding-board by a throat through which the remaining berries -fall, a driven feed roll below and obstructing said throat, to arrest the falling berries, and thereby deprive the same of momentum, and ayielding wiper bearing on one side .ot the ro-ll, -`and cooperating with the latter to release the berries and allow them to drop vertically, without previously acquired momentum, upon the bounding-v board of the next .lower-unit.

7. A cranberry separato-r, including a casing, a series of separator units arranged to permit berries to Jfall from unit to unit throughout the series, each unit comprising,

iii combination, an inclined bounding-.board from which some of the berriesrebound, so that they pass away from the unit, `a deflector spaced from the lower edge of the bounding-board by `al throat through which the vre.'

throughout the series, each unit comprising, Y

in combination, an inclined bounding-board trom which some of the' berries rebound, so that they pass away from the uint, la delicotor spaced from the lower edge of the boundl ing-board by `a throat through which the remaining berries fall, a. drivenl feed roll below and obstructingA said throat, to arrest the falling berries, and-thereby deprive thesame ol momentum, a yielding wipe-r bearing on one side of the roll, and cooperating with the latter to release the berries andv allow them to drop vertically, without previously acquired momentum, upon the bounding-board of the neXtlo-wer unit, means for simultaneously rotating the rolls of the 'several units,

and means on the casing for conducting and delivering berries rebounding from said boards.

ln testimony whereof I :have aiiixed my signature.

HUG-H R. BAILEY. 

